House Committees to Mark Up Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Crypto Tax Bills

Two House committees will hold critical markups on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, to advance legislation that would integrate Bitcoin into U.S. fiscal policy and overhaul digital asset taxation. These sessions are a pivotal step toward a full House floor vote.

The House Financial Services Committee will mark up H.R. 8957, the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026, starting at 10:00 AM. Simultaneously, the House Ways and Means Committee will review a package of digital asset tax legislation, including H.R. 9175, the Tax Clarity for Mining and Staking Act. H.R. 9175 would allow cryptocurrency miners and stakers to defer recognizing income on newly created tokens until those assets are sold.

The Push for a Strategic Reserve

This legislative activity follows a March 6, 2025, executive order directing the Treasury Department to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve using government-held Bitcoin acquired through legal forfeitures and penalties. H.R. 8957 seeks to codify these reserves into federal statute. The bill imposes a 20-year holding period for the Bitcoin reserve and mandates quarterly proof-of-reserve audits to ensure transparency and accountability.

Resolving Tax Ambiguity

Beyond the reserve, the Ways and Means Committee is addressing long-standing disputes regarding how the IRS treats network validators. Currently, the timing of income recognition for miners and stakers remains a point of contention. By allowing tax deferral until the point of sale, H.R. 9175 aims to resolve these disputes and clarify the application of wash-sale rules to digital assets.

Industry Implications

These bills represent a fundamental shift in the U.S. government's approach to digital assets, moving from a posture of seizure and regulation to one of strategic accumulation. For the industry, tax deferrals would remove a significant financial burden from network infrastructure providers, potentially stabilizing the domestic mining and staking landscape. Furthermore, a statutory reserve would formally recognize Bitcoin as a strategic national treasury asset.

Next Steps

Following the markups, committee members may propose amendments before deciding whether to send the bills to the full House for a vote. While the core objectives of the reserve and tax clarity are established, the final language regarding the 20-year lockup and the specific scope of the tax package remain the primary points to watch as the legislation progresses.